


My kitty Kat

by AdmiralKatCornwellfan



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, F/M, Getting Back Together, Implied Sexual Content, Minor Violence, Mirror Universe, Multiverse, Outer Space, Romantic Fluff, Starfleet Academy, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-03-26 01:59:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13847691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdmiralKatCornwellfan/pseuds/AdmiralKatCornwellfan
Summary: Basically, this is Kat and Gabriel fic across different universes. Sometimes they are soulmates, lovers, friends, colleagues, co-workers but sometimes, they are enemies or in a twisted relationship. sometimes, they are total strangers. And these are their stories. Each chapter is an individual story.





	1. Mine..Kitty...Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! This is my first story in AO3!! My first language is not English, and I don't have a beta, so I apologize for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy this fic!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is Mirror universe Kat and Mirror Universe Lorca. So fair warning, this chapter is highly M rated and is violent.

He watches her through a mirror, the way she would circle her prey, with a so sweet smile on her lips. She is slightly built, to the eyes of a true terran, she is no real threat. She is seemingly meek and submissive but only he knows how powerful she is. The others, who witness her powers, don’t stand a chance to remember her. She has no equipment for torture, any agonizing booths or even devices. But she is the best interrogator in the Terran Empire. Oh, her smooth words and manipulative ways can shatter even a brilliant mind of a Vulcan. And she needs to do so little to make a worthless scum scream in agony while she has her arms across her chest and wipe her brown locks out of her gleaming jade eyes. He saw the burning madness in her eyes and he was attracted to it like a moth to a flame. She would trap anyone in their worst nightmare within few minutes, making them experience horror beyond their imagination, even making them feel pain. She would shatter their minds and rebuild new identities. Oh, the pleasure she gets from watching her prey screaming in pure terror in a world she created is her pure ecstasy. And he knows that she will be his queen, she would be seemingly soft, innocent and mild, but her mind, oh her mind is what valuable to him. She is so cunning, talented and brilliant, perfect weapon in his arsenal, perfect weapon against the Emperor. A predatory smile claims his lips when he interrupts her ‘session’.  
  
“My kitty Kat, I think that’s enough for today”.  
  
She arches her body against him, agile like a cat. She purrs in his ear while he crushes her smaller frame against himself and forcefully kisses her. She bites him until his lip bleeds, just like he wanted to. They both taste and smell the blood that made them both feel exhilarated. Breathing hard after his high, he pulls her even closer and murmurs his suggestions to her ears. She backs down and throws a casual glance at her already forgotten prey, and she invites him with an unmistakable anger in his eyes. He chuckles; knowing she hates his interruptions, but good-naturedly whacks the poor soul in his head, complying with her invitation. He could see eyes rolling inside the head while the spineless spy loses its consciousness. And he suddenly knows why she loves to do this. She loves to destroy what they hold dear, she loves seeing the fear in their eyes. Well, he prefers to gun them down but he cannot deny that her method arouses him as well. He turns his attention towards her, pulling her towards the door, to the empty observation room.  
  
He presses her crudely to the wall, but she fights against him. She bites him at the juncture where his neck meets his shoulder. He rips off her clothing while digging his nails into her sides, strong enough to leave marks and Katrina moans, making him more aroused. Nothing they do is ever soft or even remotely loving. For them, it is nothing but a power play, a mix of pain and pleasure until the lines blur in throes of their union. He loves that she is the one to bring out his violent nature more, she is not afraid of him. All the other women are meek and powerless in his grip while she fights back. Her nails claw at his back until they draw blood and he bites her soft flesh until his teeth leave marks upon scarred and unblemished skin alike. He marks her body, wanting to own her, to add to his collection, while she marks him in her own way.  
He brutally parts her thighs, pulling at her legs while she unexpectedly knees him on his lower abdomen and he falls back, spitting and cursing. Her eyes gleam while she pushes him onto the floor, straddling him. In her eyes, she had won this round. He growls, a purely animalistic noise leaving his throat as he crudely flips her over. Her head hits hard on the floor, she grunts in pain but didn’t utter a word as he joins their bodies at his will, never even caring for her.  
  
Lorca grabs her jaw forcefully, crashing their mouths together, swallowing her pain-filled moans and she bites his tongue in retaliation. He pulls at her hair while she rakes her nails across his scarred back, over the bloody marks she left earlier. She raises her hips as he presses his fingers against her bruises, making her moan in pain and her movements force a moan out of him.  
  
“My kitty, so good for me”. He croons over her ears while she tangles her fingers in his hair and pulls at it. “Bastard” she curses at him, the first word she uttered ever since he interrupted her so-called “session”. He chuckles at her response, knowing that if she is agitated enough to be verbal, he is winning this round. He pins her arms over her head, his knees holding her hips in position and she is at his mercy, at his mercy to earn her pleasure, or pain- whatever he is going to give. She hates this; he can tell that she is pissed off, and so desperate to achieve her own completion. She tries to move, wriggling helplessly in his iron-like grip. She bares her teeth at him, curse after her curse leaving her bruised lips.  
  
He only cocks his head at her, a mockery of her anger and a side of his mouth curls up, letting her know that he is winning as he nears his completion. As he feels it drawing closer, he releases her hands, and she instantly pulls him closer to her and roughly moves her hips, her anger forgotten in the desperation to find her release. He finishes off, grabbing at her hips and roughly pushing her onto the floor. Her back collides with the cold, hard floor, she gasps as the pain fills her just as they both reach their climaxes.  
  
He drops his weight onto her and as soon as she regains her breath, she pushes him away. He pulls away from her body and stands, smirking at her. “Good one, kitty. Look at you,covered in blood and bruises and my juices”. He pulls her roughly at him and murmurs into her ear. “Mine, Kitty... Mine”.  
She shoves him back hard, as hard as her bruised body allows her to, and replies,  
“Never”.


	2. When there is a bump in the road...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features Prime Kat and Gabriel, dealing with many issues after Gabriel escapes from Mirror Universe. our favourite couple faces another bump in their relationship while trying to be strong and supportive of each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter. I apologize for any mistakes as English is not my first language.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

Kat softly threads her fingers in the shorter strands of Gabriel’s hair, as he rests his head against her collarbone, her chin resting atop his head. She is sitting on the bed, her back pressed against the headboard, trying to forget the tingling sensation as her back decides to remind her of her old injuries. She shifts a bit, but it doesn’t make much of a difference as Gabriel somehow managed to wrap himself around her, his arms clinging to her body as if she is his lifeline. His breathing is normal now, almost on the verge of falling asleep. But she notices that he is mindful of her even in his sleep, not putting his total weight on her. His hand shifts in his half-asleep state to rest against her stomach and her breath hitches in her throat. The soft swell of her stomach, the one she ignored for the past week, feels more prominent under his palm. She turns her gaze to the dark windows, trying to blink back tears. But the hand on her stomach and the lead weight in her heart brings her back to the current predicament.  
  
She never thought of it to be a possibility, Even to be a remote possibility at this age. Of course, there are many women who faced this at her age. But she never wanted this, any of it. Her train of thoughts comes to an abrupt halt when Gabriel somehow scoots closer to her, murmuring against her skin, which tickles as his breath fans over a sensitive spot. Her whole body aches, complaining about her position, and she slowly slides against the headboard until she is lying flat on the bed. Gabriel pulls her flush against him. Kat turns in his embrace and his palm, which intends to rest on her back pressed against her abdomen. Kat heaves in response, biting back the nerve-wracking sobs that threatened to erupt from her throat. Her sudden motion and emotional turmoil bring a powerful wave of nausea over, and Kat manages to reach the bathroom in a record time.  
  
Gabriel blinks harder to make sense of being abruptly woken from his slumber. He is usually a very light sleeper partially because of being a Starfleet officer for more than three decades and mostly because of his recent imprisonment in the Terran universe. He wasn’t even sure when he will ever sleep through the night without being awakened due to every little movement Kat does in her sleep. For a second, he stared aimlessly, in confusion as his sleep-addled mind tried to process the information coming from his sensory organs. Retching sounds coming from the bathroom and light peeking underneath the door snaps him out of his stupor. Pushing the sheets aside, he slides from the bed, calling her name.  
“Kat?” he pauses for a moment before asking,  
“You ok there?”  
  
Worry begins to creep into his heart from the places where he kept it hidden for days. This is now the third time in a week she’d gotten sick. She was exhausted, sick and very withdrawn for the past week and whenever he broached the subject, she chalked it up to being busy or just a bug and that she had it under control. He didn’t even know if she got sick while she was at work. If so, then this might be a terrible situation. Kat has the stronger stomach from the two of them and from what he remembers about their academy days, Kat only throws up if the situation is worse. A very bad case of double pneumonia incident and a ghastly pale image of Ensign Cornwell in sickbay haunt his memories.Fueled by his fears and concerns, Gabriel walks towards the bathroom in hurried strides,  
“Can I come in?” “You need any help there?”  
  
Another retching sound later, he decides to intervene. He pushes the bathroom door to reveal Kat kneeling in front of the toilet bowl and suddenly he sees how weak, exhausted and small she appears to be. Kat has been petite and small as long as he can remember, but her personality, intelligence and her kindred spirit always managed to paint her in a much larger image in everyone’s minds. Coupled with her uniform and Admiral Insignia, Katrina Cornwell is a force to be reckoned with. But now, without her uniform, badges or the mask of professionalism, coupled with the sickness, she suddenly looks so vulnerable. Gabriel bends to her level to move stray strands of her hair from her face while continuing to rub her back as she continues to empty the remaining contents of her stomach into the toilet.  
  
Unfortunately, mad dash to the bathroom in the middle of the night to throw up wasn’t an unusual occurrence in Cornwell-Lorca household. From the day Gabriel was rescued Kat has been his shadow, his strength and in return he tried to be hers after learning how damaged she was. It was not the first night she woke up sweating, her eyes widened in fear, dashing to the bathroom to empty her stomach. But things had turned better for her in past months. Or so he thought.  
  
And he lost count of the nights Kat spent rubbing his back, holding him, humming to him after terrible nightmares left him utterly terrified. He’d see ‘her’ in his sleep, the other Katrina and he and Kat found out together that Kat’s voice won’t soothe him as it usually did back before his disappearance into the mirror universe (and that was an incident he hated to recall). And Kat started humming a lullaby to him and to his utter surprise, it worked. Every time, she’d hum it to him until her throat is raw and he’d fall into a pitiful sleep. Some mornings, she couldn’t even utter a single word but she was adamant that she was doing everything of her own volition. There was no doubt or hesitation in her voice. And most of the time, he still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have this wonderful, amazing woman in his life.  
But now, as Kat almost collapses into his arms, he helps her to sit on the floor and gives her some water, and he cannot focus on either of those tasks. He is on auto-pilot as his mind is reeling from the fact that she is sick and there is nothing he could do. He knows in the pit of his stomach that this is not a result of their normal nighttime nightmare routine. Worry eats him alive as he somehow focuses of the pale face of the woman who spent a good three decades being an integral part of his life as his best friend, his lover and now his saving grace. He was not reluctant to admit it now, as he suffered so much from the guilt of not being able to tell her how much she meant to him when he was thousands of light years away, with no hope to return to her embrace.  
  
Kat Gulps down water, soothing her burnt throat and wipes her face with a wet towel Gabriel provided. She looks at him, trying to decipher his innermost thoughts hidden in the clear blue eyes that return her gaze. He gently helps her to stand and puts his arm around her weak body. Kat leans onto him and feels his fear and concern vibrating off of him. She expects him to ask questions but finds herself back in bed, in his warm, protective yet silent embrace. She is thankful for his silence as she cannot think of anything to say to him. She looks up to his face, and she catches his expectant gaze. She is moved by the concern and love she sees in those clear blues she loves so much. She turns her gaze towards her lap, trying to gather her thoughts. She presses her palm against her queasy stomach and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ears. She is too tired and sick to her stomach to utter a syllable but she owes him an explanation and she cannot forever hide this from him. She quickly utters three words before it becomes too overwhelming for her. She could hear herself saying those words and couldn’t help but wonder how unnatural and dry her own voice sounds.  
  
“I’m pregnant, Gabriel”.  
  
Gabriel actually expects some lengthy medical lecture, some scientific gibberish about her condition. That he’d be losing her. But he never expected the reason that came out from Kat. He actually thought they were past the age of that possibility occurring naturally. On the other hand, Klingon prison, cutting-edge spinal surgery and the so many other things Katrina’s body was subjected to, ‘normal’ is not within the parameters when it came to her body. He’d never given thought of having kids; then again even if he wanted a family, Kat wasn’t the person he expected to build it with. He feels Kat growing tense in his arms due to his lack of response. He wraps her more tightly in his embrace as he places a tender kiss on her head. “Go to sleep, Kitty Kat. We can discuss everything in the morning”. He murmurs into her ear as she slowly melts into his embrace and he feels her body growing heavier as exhaustion drags her back to sleep.  
  
For the first time, he hums the familiar lullaby until she falls asleep in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of this chapter? Any Ideas you guys want me to write about? I'll try to post the next chapter ASAP.


	3. I'd never let you go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Commodore Afsaneh Paris comes to Starfleet H.Q after the war to meet her friend Admiral Katrina Cornwell. She is worried that something is wrong with Kat and she will do anything to help her dear friend. hell, she can't afford to lose her too...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really had a hard time writing this chapter. Thank you [es-99-einsteinium](https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/es-99-einsteinium) for the support and sharing all those amazing HCs with me. It was one of her HCs I used for this chapter.

Music filled the darkened quarters and reverberated along the drab grey walls and the Starfleet issued furniture of the private quarters of Admiral Cornwell, drowned in self-imposed semi-darkness with its blinds closed, and brightness adjusted to the minimum amount possible. Owner of the living space was currently standing near the window, her eyes closed tightly while her fingers gripping the violin in a vice-like a grip. Bow slipped over the taut strings of the violin in a painful moan echoing a deep pang in Afsaneh’s heart. She blinked away the tears that blurred the silhouette of the violinist and thickly swallowed against the tight knot in her throat.  
Damn, she needed to cry right now. Kat’s music had reopened a wound in her heart she long thought was closed and her sorrow and grief were as same as the day it all began. Perhaps the edges were little less sharp but the grief was still there.  
  
Maybe it was more because she saw her friend slipping through her own fingers. Afsaneh jumped in the first transport to earth in the first available chance to pile her duties and responsibilities of starbase 19 to her second in command. And that took four months after the end of the war. She knew Kat was in a bad place when transmissions and comm. calls dwindled to nothing and whenever she called Kat her personal comm. lines held the note of “do not disturb” and Kat had disappeared into the persona of Admiral Cornwell. Her eyes had lost the usual twinkle and the toothy grin that accompanied Kat for as long as Afsaneh could remember, was no longer a part of her face. Worry lines had taken a permanent residence in her face instead of usual dimples and deepened laughing lines. Worry lines in her forehead was a usual sight as much as Klingon forehead ridges right now.  
  
Afsaneh knew they were no longer who they were before this damned war. They both lost people who were very dear to them. Heck, she lost Pippa, and it took all her willpower not to crash over that. She had focused on her duty and turned her grief into anger to do her job. Deep down she knew it wasn’t a healthy coping mechanism, but she got through it as fine. At first, she was angry whenever Kat called her -well, personal calls were few and far between -but even in duty calls Afsaneh saw the psychologist in Kat peeking over the mask of tough admiral to take care of the grieving individual hidden behind the uncaring façade of a Commodore. She was angry because Kat didn’t lose the love of her life, heck, she didn’t know the pain. But when Buran blew to smithereens a month afterwards, and one of her oldest friends presumably died in it, only then Afsaneh understood her pain.  
  
But then Gabriel lived and beside the immense relief, Afsaneh felt a pang of jealousy in deep down her heart. She knew those two deserved a second chance but she was devastated by the fact that she won’t be seeing her Pippa anymore.  
  
Well, there was no time to focus on personal issues as war raged around them, and so many lives were lost and the federation was at the losing end of it. Afsaneh was shaken to her core when the news reached admiral Cornwell was captured by Klingons. She lost all of her friends besides Gabriel and every attempt she took to contact him was unsuccessful.  
  
And a month later, Discovery blew to space dust along with the precious code to break the Klingon cloak and they were fighting a never-ending battle for 9 months. But Kat survived. Afsaneh actually had tears in her eyes when news reached her ears that Kat was transported back to starbase 88 and was alive and well. But the war didn’t give her any time to see her friend in person. She called Kat and at the first sight of each other, both women cried tears of relief. Afsaneh was no doctor, but she could see something else had hurt Katrina other than weeks of Klingon torture. She could not pry any information out of her because the news of Discovery’s destruction reached them. And together they grieved for their friend -and lover in Kat’s case-alone in far ends of alpha quadrant.  
  
And somehow as it was a miracle, Discovery reappeared and amidst the destruction of starbase 1 and impending doom looming over their heads, they won the war thanks to the brilliant plan of Ambassador Sarek and Katrina and the devoted crew of Discovery and one Michael Burnham. She knew Kat’s plan to destroy the Klingon homeworld and that had been the last blow to her mind. Katrina fell into a deep dark hole and Afsaneh had no clue what to do when it was the therapist who needed the therapy now. Kat took the burn of this war more than she should. Her responsibilities, losses and desperate decisions had taken their toll on her and Afsaneh had this sinking feeling that she was too late when she saw Kat in HQ.  
  
And now after everything they went through, Afsaneh would be damned if she loses Kat as well. Pippa and Gabe won’t forgive her if she did that. Heck, he could almost hear that annoying voice saying “sunny, take care of Kat now...will ya? She is helluva way strong and just fights with you but she needs you to move on” and on top of that she imagined Pippa, holding a tumbler of single malt, nodding sagely as Gabriel spoke to her. Hell, now she is losing her mind as well. But she was determined to get her dear friend out of this mess. She’d seen Kat’s anger, sadness and even grief over the years but not this numbness.  
  
Afsaneh fondly recalled the times she’d seen Kat dancing in the gym or in their room in academy whenever she felt uneasy or nervous. Precise movements of ballet gave her a way to calm down her raging emotions and centered her more than her music did. She remembered the swan-like movements that first captured Gabriel’s gaze across the gym and the harsh, precise edge in Kat’s movements evening before her Kobayashi-Maru. But her spinal injury left her barely able to move and with dogged determination Kat fought to walk and at the earliest instance, she went back to her duties and responsibilities. Her spinal implants restricted her movements and Kat lost another integral part of her personal life to this war.  
  
So what left was music. Katrina was gifted in that area and Gabriel gifted her a Stradivarius violin, a genuine antique one when she got the command of U.S.S Marie Curie. Afsaneh considered herself lucky because this violin wasn’t in the shuttle that blew up to smithereens in Cancri IV because she had no idea how she’d replace such a gift. She had to hunt it for a while but finally, she found in amongst Kat’s other personal belongings in a cargo hold. Apparently, Kat didn’t even bother to move her stuff after she was promoted to Admiral after the war and all her belongings were taken out of her previous apartment. Afsaneh almost thrust the Violin into the rigid hands of its owner and almost lost her hope when Kat’s face held the previous iciness. But something snapped inside, and suddenly Kat began to play.  
  
For two hours, Kat converted her grief over to the music and her violin wept alongside her. Her face awash with unshed tears of all these troubled times and her heart was finally beating once again. Afsaneh knew they both had a long way to go, but this was a start. And the hell will freeze before she’d let her dear Kitty Kat go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! The idea that Kat is a dancer is one of the headcanons I saw on the Tumblr. I'd like to thank the person who first put forward this idea.( I believe it was [this post](https://theadmiralslegion.tumblr.com/post/172495295681/women-in-command-katrina-cornwell-starfleet) ) the fact that she plays the violin was the HC of my dear friend [es-99-einsteinium](https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/es-99-einsteinium). Thank you for all your help.


	4. Skipping lectures has its own merits...sometimes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfleet academy, a bookish Cadet who is late to her lectures, a coffee and a handsome knight in Starfleet uniform is never a good mixture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for[ 'SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I'LL WRITE A SHORT FIC'' Tumblr prompt](https://ussjellyfish.tumblr.com/post/177276899821/send-me-a-ship-and-a-number-and-ill-write-a-short)
> 
> Kat/Gabe - literally bumping into each other.
> 
> For [ Oparu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu)

Cadet Cornwell was late. Katrina Cornwell was late to her Xenobiology lecture and it was her fault. She was never late to her lectures and had a pristine attendance record.  
''shit''  
she cursed under her breath while straightening down her wrinkled uniform while trying to navigate through the corridors and juggling bunch of PADDs and a coffee with her hands.  
Last night she stay awake for too long studying for her Xenopsychiatry exam and totally forgot she had a lecture this morning. Phillipa managed to wake Kat up but it was already late for the lecture.  
She realized she might well skip the lecture when she bumped into something... or rather a solid chest of a six foot handsome someone.  
And managed to spill her black coffee all over that person too.  
words failed her when she looked into the blue pools of mischief and amusement directed at her. He bent down to pick up her coffee-soaked PADDs and his books. 

books? who uses books these days? she mused over and totally forgot to apologize to him. Instead she continued to stare at his face as if she forgot how to speak. 

'' Gabriel Lorca at your service''. he said with a mock bow and a Boyish grin that illuminated his dashingly handsome face. 

Kat wasn't sure why she grabbed the hand directed at her but when she finally found her voice to apologize both of them were sitting on a bench in academy grounds, Xenobiology lecture forgotten from her mind. 

Many months later as she stay awake in her bed looking at his sleeping form beside her, she knew late nights and skipping lectures has its own merits.


	5. Weddings and relationships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding of her best friend Pippa is coming soon and Kat is her matron of honour.  
> Wedding of his best friend Sunny is coming soon and Gabriel is her best man.  
> when Matron of honour and best man meet, they strike a deal.  
> what will happen?  
> A 21st century AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for [SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I’LL WRITE A SHORT FIC Tumblr prompt](https://ussjellyfish.tumblr.com/post/177276899821/send-me-a-ship-and-a-number-and-ill-write-a-short)  
> Kat/Gabe, 7. Fake relationship au  
> for [Oparu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu)

Katrina Cornwell stared at the wine glass in her hand and let out an inadvertent sigh. Her life was in shambles at the moment. well, her professional life was sailing smooth but her personal life was far from it. Infact it was just a headache she wanted to avoid at the moment.  
  
She once again looked at the wedding invitation in her hand. Pippa and Sunny were finally tying the knot after dancing around eachother for years , three kids and two divorces total. Kat was not an old hag to wish ill for her friends or place blame on Leonard for her failed marriage. She knew it was mostly her fault that they got divorced.  
  
but there lay the problem of finding a suitable date for the wedding. Pippa asked her to be the matron of honour but Kat wasn't simply in the mood to be one. But she never said it aloud. at least by that way she'd be able to skip on having a date but the responsibility and having to hang around wedding atmosphere far too long than simply being a guest in reception made her nauseated.  
  
''hah... the irony of therapist being depressed. get your shit together woman and do this for Pippa and Sunny ''. Kat thought to herself and stood from the couch to place a call to Afsaneh to inform that she accepted Phillipa's invitation.

  


meanwhile in an apartment closer Gabriel Lorca was staring at the same invitation. He tossed the invitation across the room but after a second thought, picked it up and placed it on the coffee table.  
It was not fair to direct his anger at Sunny's wedding invitation. Actually he was Happy that his best friend was getting her shit together finally to see that Phillipa was love of her life. Those two danced around eachother since collage and it was high time they realized they belonged together.  
  
they had nothing over himself or his inability to keep his Balayna safe. lt was his fault that he is alone now.  
  
clamping his teeth together not to let out the sigh that was customary whenever he Remembered his girl, Gabriel turned around the wedding invitation only to find a message scrawled in Sunny's handwriting.

  


' you are the best man Lorca' 

  


Great. now he has to tolerate the whole reception and the bridal showers (for Phillipa and Sunny invited all their close friends to it) and whatnot and having to handle the whole thing. Weddings weren't his forte and of all people Sunny should know this. Not to mention dealing with the uncomfortable relationship questions from their friends who'd be at the wedding and especially Chris trying to hook him up with girls half his age.  
  
Gabriel mentally groaned at that image but picked up his phone to type a message to Sunny to let her know that he is actually going to be the best man. 

  


Gabriel looked around the condo Phillipa and Afsaneh shared. He never came to their house because he basically lived on his ship for past 20 years and even when he was with Balayna, he lived on US. Being on States was a different experience after all these years. Deep in his thoughts he falied to notice the gorgeous woman sitting on the couch right infront of him. She cleared her throat and Gabriel blinked twice before finding his voice and apologizing to her.  
  
''Its ok. Afsaneh and Phillipa had to go out and they told me you are coming here...I'm Katrina Cornwell. I believe you are Mr. Lorca?'' Katrina managed to get the sentence out despite the heated blush she was feeling.  
  
Gabriel nodded and then frowned over the familiarity he was feeling about this woman. '' I'm sorry but Do I know you ...uh ... Miss Cornwell?''  
  
Katrina slightly bristled at the question and even before she could think, she felt herself answering ''its Doctor''.  
  
Katrina tried to smooth off the situation with him because as Afsaneh told her, Gabriel Lorca was the best man and as she is to be the Matron of honour she had at least to be cordial with him.  
  
'' I'm sorry Mr. Lorca. I'm just tired of being the recipient of that question far too long. please call me Katrina ''. To her surprise, he began to chuckle and nodded in understanding and added that she can call him Gabriel.  
  
over the hour they waited for their friends to come home, they found out they briefly went to same collage before Kat transferred to a different one, and few embarrassing stories of both brides-to-be to share at the speeches and both of their messed up relationships and that they had no dates to bring over to the reception.  
  
'' We can pretend we are together, you know'' Kat found herself saying and to her horror found Gabriel seriously contemplating the idea instead of laughing it off.  
'' Has merits you know Kat... You and I are both single and obviously need a partner to avoid all that mess and unwanted questions. so, its a solid deal? ''  
  
Katrina gulped but she knew this is the best offer she will ever get on the 'date' department. besides, Gabriel was very handsome and she found herself drawn to him despite his cocky attitude.  
  
When Afsaneh and Phillipa returned, to their surprise they found Kat and Gabriel rather cosied up on sofa, laughing and having a really great time together. Gabriel cooked up a story of going to a date with Kat when they were in collage and getting to know her better now but Kat knew Pippa or Afsaneh wasn't fooled for a moment with that one. Instead, she chose to pull up the topic of upcoming wedding and other three soon chimed in as well. 

  


The wedding was actually the event Katrina most enjoyed. Between dress shopping, going to caters, florists and Cake designers and testing champagne or having time of her life in the bridal shower, Kat found the joy of friendship seeping back to her life.  
  
But Gabriel was the major reason she was happy. she couldn't deny it or even avoid it because their pretended relationship was on full sails and all the friends accepted that Kat finally found her match.  
  
and whenever they'd hear such comments, Gabriel would smile that smile and she found herself blushing like a teenager. But she was afraid because she knew she was already fallen for him.

Gabriel looked at Kat dressed in gorgeous navy blue dress, smiling so brightly that her dimples showed and knew that somehow , somewhere in this lie, there was one truth and that was this woman had sneaked upto his heart without his knowledge and charmed him with her wits, intelligence and her strength. Not to mention her beauty. Her toothy grin , cute dimples and soft hair that often fell over her face had him in a tight grip but it was her jade eyes that made him quiver. He was in love and damn it was a mess.  
  
He promised he won't fall for a woman after Balayna. And for 20 years he lived true to that promise. But now everything was changed and the worst of it was he didn't knew if Kat reciprocated his feelings. They were living a charade and he couldn't tell if she was faking her affection or not. He knew if he tried he could tell but the fear of heartbreak and rejection still lay prominent in his mind.  
  
'' Takes a lot to fall for a Doc, old boy. Its a fine mess you've made and now you have to face the music '' He thought to himself. 

  


Deep in thought he failed to notice Afsaneh approaching from his behind. she cleared her throat and Gabriel quickly turned to face her. He noticed there was a softness in her eyes and sparkle of something- something like love - and suddenly he felt jealous for his friend. But he knew he was being unreasonable.  
  
Without uttering a single word, Afsaneh made a gesture to point out Kat, who was leaning into the railing of a small balcony and Gabriel knew he had to face her. its now or never.  
  
picking up a glass of champagne for liquid courage, hoping it was whiskey , Gabriel moved away to balcony after uncomfortably smiling towards Sunny.  
  
Phillipa joined her wife afterwards and she impishly grinned at her as she saw Kat and Gabriel on the balcony.  
  
'Its about time those two made it real' , Pippa commented while giving a kiss to Sunny.  
'' oh its been real all this time, these two idiots are fooling themselves. maybe you should throw your bouquet at them ''  
' I'd love to hit Gabe with it ' Pippa replied and dragged Afsaneh to the dance floor, giving privacy to the couple on the balcony. 

  


Neither Kat or Gabriel said a word but Pippa secretly grinned when Kat caught her bouquet later and Gabriel caught the garter, smiling and blushing like two teenagers in love.  
  
Honestly, none of their friends were surprised to see these two tying the knot just an year later.  
  
All in all, weddings are Sometimes Happy occasions rather than being emotional messes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking time to read my first story. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. I will post next chapter soon and If you want to know more,here is the link to my [tumblr](https://admiralkatcornwellfan.tumblr.com/)


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